Masturbation, that guaranteed pleasure. Playing with yourself once again in the morning, maybe while watching a porn film… but it is not always about sex, is it? It’s also a routine way of relieving stress, clearing your head before work, or going to sleep.

A lot has been said about masturbation. The most damaging myth about male masturbation is that it’s a sign something is wrong in your relationship, says Logan Levkoff, PhD, a sexologist and sex educator. The fact is that most men masturbate. They masturbate if they’re single, in a good or bad relationship. It’s just something men do that has nothing to do with their partners.

Let’s make it clear: there is no “normal” amount of masturbation! Men do tend to ask themselves whether they masturbate too much. “But it’s not how many times you masturbate in a week (or day) that really matters,” says Levkoff.” If you masturbate many times a day and have a healthy, satisfying life, good for you. But if you masturbate many times a day and you’re missing work or giving up on sex with your partner because of it, consider seeing a sex therapist.” Even then, there’s nothing specific about masturbation that’s the problem. Compulsive masturbation is like any other behavioral disorder that disrupts your life compulsively.

The Truth About Male Masturbation

Yes, masturbation is the safest form of sex. A man can’t catch an STD from himself or make himself pregnant. There are some risks involved though: frequent or rough masturbation can cause minor skin irritation. Forcefully bending an erect penis can rupture the chambers that fill with blood, a rare but gruesome condition called penile fracture. Tobias S. Köhler, MD, MPH, an associate professor at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield has seen men with it after vigorous masturbation. “Afterward, the penis looks like an eggplant,” he says. “It’s purple and swollen.” Most men need surgery to repair it.

Did you know masturbation doesn’t have the health benefits sex does? Study after study shows that intercourse has all different types of benefits for men – blood pressure, heart and prostate health, pain, and more. Of course many assume that masturbation would, too. But, unfortunately, it doesn’t.

Why would it make a difference whether you ejaculate during sex or on your own? Studies haven’t been able to show us that so far. But your body seems to respond differently. Even the makeup of semen is different if you masturbate instead of having sex.

 “It appears that not all orgasms are created equally,” says Tobias S. Köhler.

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